TABLE of CONTENTS chapter 1 CAVE CREEPERS 4 chapter 2 BUMP IN THE NIGHT 12 chapter 3 MEET THE COMPETITION 20 chapter 4 TRACKS OF THE BIG CAT 27 chapter 5 ALONE 36 chapter 6 RESCUED SORT OF 45 chapter 7 STALKED BY THE HOWLER 53 chapter 8 THE BIG BIG CAT 60 chapter 9 PROBLEM PET 68 chapter 10 PATCHING UP 77
chapter 1 CAVE CREEPERS Darkness inside a cave is different from Darkness inside the darkness outside Outside the moon may brighten the world to a pale gray shadow Outside the spilled glitter of stars sparkle against the black velvet sky Outside you might look into the distance at the light pollution seeping from a town or city In a cave you see nothing No stars No shadows Just darkness so deep it presses against your skin Gabe Brown didn’t usually think much about the dark As part of the team chasing monsters all over America for his brother’s web show Discover Cryptids Gabe had seen a lot of darkness Cryptids like dark nights dark water 4
and dark shadows Gabe thought he was done being scared of the dark He was wrong His best friend Tyler stomped the back of Gabe’s boots again Could you maybe give me a little room Gabe asked as he shrugged his friend off Tyler took a half step back but kept a hand on Gabe’s backpack No you have the flashlight I’d walk on top of you if I could I thought that’s what you were doing Do you want the light Gabe asked not that he wanted to give it up And be in the lead Tyler yelped No I figure the killer reptoid will go after the guy with the light Then shouldn’t you back up out of slashing range Gabe asked Tyler thought for a moment then shook his head In nature films the predators always go after the straggler I’m not straggling 5
